Color card machine



Oct. 10, 1950 J. A. MGKAY ET AL COLOR CARD MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1950 20w Qw 3 am:

rsZez J. A. M KAY ET AL COLOR CARD MACHINE Oct. 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1950 0S mm 03m a BA W I IFQH 120537 21X VVEI'EZ Q liweni'or nzeaflJlMa Oct. 10, 1950 J. A. M KAY ET AL COLOR CARD MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 28, 1950 m 5E fl m w 2. MW e Ow. M

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' COLOR CARD MACHINE Filed March 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 m In] mung Will/ 191 5 A-Imum-nm my I 1510222262 5 i 401 @meaflflfi'gy i il 106%? .Zoberi JVVnsZez Patented Oct. 10,

COLOR CARD MACHINE James A. McKay, Westmount, Quebec, and Robert J. Worsley, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application March 28, 1950, Serial No. 152,282

Introduction The present invention relates to pasting machines and more particularly to apparatus of this nature adapted to adhesively attach small portions of cardboard or other materials on sample cards.

Sample cards, such as the ones used by the paint industry usually carry a plurality of small cards coloured on one side, or colour chips, to illustrate the various shades of paint or the like available. These chips have to be placed individually on a sample card and adhesively secured thereto in proper spaced apart sequence after the card has been printed. Since large numbers of these cards must be distributed gratuitously it is necessary that the manufacturing cost be reduced as much as possible, and accordingly the chip attaching operation must be performed both quickly and inexpensively.

The present invention recognizes this problem and aims to furnish a solution by providing a chip attaching machine capable of mechanically placing and adhesively securing complete sets of chips simultaneously on sample cards in a series of continuous operations adapted to meet with quantity production methods.

Applicants development Accordingly, the present invention comprises a machine for applying colour chips to sample cards which includes a carrier means adapted to support and convey sample cards through the machine, and in time related sequence with the carrier means, automatic means for depositing spaced apart dabs of adhesive on the card and for applying a complete set of colour chips to the card in register with the adhesive.

More specifically, a preferred construction of this machine in accordance with the invention comprises of a frame with a movable carrier mounted on the frame that is adapted to support and convey a sample card between spaced apart adhesive and chip applying stations. A container for fluid adhesive is mounted on the frame above the travel of the carrier and an adhesive applying head is mounted for reciprocal motion on the frame between the container and the carrier. The upper surface of the adhesive applying head is adapted to contact the lower surface of the adhesive container at the top of the reciprocal stroke and then the entire head is rotated about a 180? are as it descends so as to deposit spaced apart dabs of adhesive on the upper surfaces of a 12 Claims. (Cl. 216-14) 2 sample card moved beneath'the adhesive con: tainer by the carrier.

A rectangular frame is mounted parallel with and above the carrier in spaced apart relationship with the adhesive container so as to support a plurality of spaced apart tills each of which are adapted to contain a stack of chips. A chip applying head is mounted on the frame for reciprocal movement between the tills and the carrier so that the upper surface of the head is adapted, by means of a vacuum arrangement, to withdraw the lowermost chip from each till at the top of the reciprocal stroke. As the chip applying head descends it rotates about a are so as to bring the chips into contact with the upper surface of the sample card in register with the dabs of adhesive previously deposited, the card being moved beneath the chip tills by the carrier belt after the adhesive applying operation. The adhesive applying head and the chip applying head are actuated simultaneously by common crank arms and guiding and stopmeans co-operating with the carrier means are provided for the sample cards so that each card is moved beneath the respective heads in time related sequence.

A further feature of the preferred construction of the apparatus is in the arrangement of the chip till supporting frame. This is constructed so that the individual tills can be adjusted transversely and laterally in any desired spacing or sequence as may be desired to suit a particular form of sample card, each of the tills being separately removable. Further, the tills are constructed so as to be of graduated heights so that when they are arranged in spaced apart rows, each row from the inner to the outer edge of the frame is sufficiently lower than the preceding row to provide ease in chiptill loading while the machine is in operation.

The adhesive and chip applying heads are each constructed so as to have raised surfaces that are sectioned to correspond to any one desired spacing and arrangement of chips and are readily removable so that alternate heads can be inserted in the machine as may be required to suit varying arrangements.

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred construction of a colour card machine in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view along the line 2-2 of Figure 4 Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 4 along the line 3-3 to illustrate the chip till construction.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus partially in section to show the relative position of chip till and heads.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a sample card as may be fed through the apparatus showing the relative position of the dabs of adhesive.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of a similar card portion illustrating the relative position of the colour chips when applied to the adhesive coated card of Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a sectional view of Figure 6 along the line l'l.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of Figure 4 along the line 8-8 to illustrate in side elevation the various portions of the apparatus.

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view in crosssection of a gluing pan as engaged by a gluing head.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in a plan of a portion of Figure 8 along the line lit-l0.

Figure 11 is an endelevational view of the apparatus of Figure 1,

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of a chip pickup head in operationto illustrate the relative movement of chip pick-up head and cam plate as it starts on the downward movement.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to Figure 11 showing the pick-up head in lowermost position.

Figure 1a is an enlarged detail view in section of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure ll along the line i i-i l.

Figure 15 is an enlarged detail view partialiy in section of the end of one of the crank beams and rollers shown in Figure 1 along the line l'5l5.

Figure 16 is a detail view of a chip till unit.

With particular reference to Figures 1, 4 l1 illustrating the general arrangement of a colour card machine constructed in accordance with the invention, iii designates the main frame of the machine on which the various working ments of the apparatus are mounted.

A movable carrier comprising of a plurality of spaced apart endless tapes i2 is adapted to convey sample cards along the length of the machine. The tapes !2 are mounted on and are driven by a, plurality of rollers 53 that are journallecl in and extend across the side members of the frame it. end of the frame iii are mounted at a slight angle relative to the side members of the frame so that sample cards carried by the tapes l2 will be urged against and conveyed along a guide or fence l4 that extends along one side of the frame so as to project above the line of travel of the tapes 12. This arrangement is common to various types of printing or lithographing machines where it is desired to have material fed through the apparatus with one marginal edge in a constant location.

In order to keep the sample cards in frictional engagement with the moving tapes l2 a plurality of hold down bars it are provided that are mounted above and in line with each tape. Each of the bars l6 has a series of spaced apart holes El and a steel ball l8, for example, a large ball bearing, is inserted in each hole so that the cards are held down by the weight of the balls and the balls are free to rotate so as to reduce Preferably the rollers 3 at each the friction therebetween (see detail of Figure 2).

In the present machine three spaced apart sets of hold down bars it are provided and are supported in spaced apart relationship from the carrier tapes l2 by rods 25 which extend through the bars it with the outer ends mounted in the side members of the frame l0.

Sufficient space is left between the sets of hold down bars it to allow an adhesive applying head 22 and a chip applying head 24 to contact the sample cards, as will be described in more detail later, and rigid base plates 2e-2l extending across the frame it beneath the tapes l2 are provided in these spaces to provide a solid backing for the adhesive and chip applying operations. The base plates 26-4.? are each slotted along one edge between the normal travelling positions of the tapes l2 and adjustable stop fingers 3B are provided that intermittently project upwardly through these slots so as to stop a sample card directly beneath the pair of chip applying heads. The stop fingers 38 are cam operated in time related sequence with the driving means for the chip applying heads and the base plates 28-41 are also provided with a series of spaced apart openings 32, to which vacuum lines are connected. The vacuum lines 36 are also cam actuated in sequence with the stop fingers 3t so as to provide a hold down means for the sample cards as the adhesive and chips are being applied. This arrangement constitutes the conveying and locating means for the sample cards andwe shall now describe the apparatus employed to attach the colour chips to the cards in more detail.

The adhesive applying apparatus A pair of slotted standards ii are mounted on and extend above the frame l0 so as to support a container 62 adapted to contain a suitable mixture of adhesive for the attaching of the chips. With particular reference to Figure 9, the container t2 includes side walls 43 and a removable bottom plate idthat includes openings lfislightly larger than a pattern of raised portions 23 extending from the adhesive applying head 22. A sheet of moisture absorbing material, for example, a sheet of sponge rubber M3 is mounted on top of the bottom plate All so that the sheet 46 is constantly impregnated with adhesive from the container and as the raised portions 23 of the head comeincontact with the sheet 65 they each receive a coating of adhesive.

The adhesive applying head 22 consists of an interchangeable top plate 2! that includes the raised portions 23 which are arranged to correspond with one desired arrangement of colour chips, and a supporting and rotating block 25 to which the top plate is removably secured by suitable screws. A separate top plate 2i is required for each individual arrangement of colour chips and a corresponding bottom plate id is require for the adhesive container 42.

The supporting and rotating block 25 is bored as indicated at 58 allowing the head to be slidably mounted for rotation about a shaft 553. The shaft 50 extends across the frame I!) with the ends of the shaftpassing through the slots 39 of the standards 19. The outer ends of the shaft 50 are each journalled in one end of a pair of sliding cross heads as that are positioned one at each side of the frame so as to extend between the standards 4i and a corresponding set of slotted standards 5%. Each of the cross heads 52 includes a pair of spaced apart roller bearings 56 at each end that are adapted to ride on the outer sides of .the standards 49, 54=and so maintain the cross heads 52 in longitudinal alignment as they are reciprocated up and down.

The cross heads 52 are actuated .by means of crank arms 99 positioned ateach side of the frame I9 as will be described in more detail later.

As the shaft 59 is reciprocated up and down between the standards 49 the block 25 is also rotated about the shaft 59 in a 180 arc. This is accomplished by means of a cam plate linkage comprising a pair of cam plates 19, one of which is pivotally mounted as indicated at 13 adjacent the top of each of the standards 49, and a pair of lever arms 12 one of which extends from each side of the supporting block 25.

Each of the cam plates 19 includes an internal cam track 14 through which the shaft 59 slidably fits so that as the shaft 59 is movedsupwards and downwards between the slots 39 of the standards 49, the cam plates 19 are each swung out off, and into, verticalalignment with the standards 49. As each of the cam plates 19 are pivotally connected to the lever arms 12 by means of a pin 1I extending from the cam plate 19 and an elongated slot 15 in each lever arm, this swinging movement is transmitted to the lever arms 12 so that as the supporting block is moved upwards or downwards on the shaft 59 it is also rotated about a 180 are as is shown in Figures 12 and 13.

Ihe cam track 14 is shaped so as to have the upper and lower ends terminate in a relatively short straight portion so that the end of the upward and downward movement is in a straight line bringing the raised portions 23 of the adhesive head top plate 2| squarely into engagement first with the openings 45 in the bottom plate of the container 42, and secondly at the end of the downward motion to bring the adhesively coated head sections 23 into contact with the sample card.

Chip applying apparatus The second set of slotted standards 54 are positioned one at each side and extend above the frame I9 in a. similar manner to the standards 40. A transverse plate 55 is connected at each side of the frame I9 to the upper ends of the standards 49, 54 so as to extend between the standards and serve as a reinforcing and cross bracing member. A chip till supporting frame 80 is mounted in an angular framework 83 positioned on brackets 8| that are secured to the plate 55 adjacent the standards 54 so as to extend across the frame I0.

With particular reference to Figure 14, the angular framework 83 includes inwardly extending flanges 84 and the supporting frame 89 rests on these flanges and is wedgedly retained within the framework 83 by means of the screws 85. A plurality of chip tills 99 are arranged in regular spaced apart sequence within the substantially rectangular frame 99, where they are wedgedly retained by means of spacing bars 92 and suitable wedges or quoins in the manner of a type form.

This arrangement allows the frame 89 to be easily removed by releasing the screws 85 and any desired arrangement of chip tills 90 can be easily set up within the frame 89 on a level block by means of the spacers 92 and suitable wedges.

In the preferred arrangement illustrated, each of the chip tills 99 are made as comprising an open-ended rectangular frame 96, as-shown in Figure 16, with the front section slotted as indicated at 91 to adjacent the bottom of the frame, and having the lower marginal edges of the side walls flanged slightly inwards so as to prevent 6 chips placed within the tillfrom passing completely through. The'tills 99 are preferably made of graduated heights so that they can be arranged as is shown in Figures 11 and 14.

This particular structure and arrangement of the chip tills 99 allows an operator to replenish any till in any row as is necessary without having to stop the machine. Further, the staggered arrangement and particular design of the present chip tills 99 prevents the upper layer of chips in each till from vibrating out of the top of the till and falling into other tills when the machine is in operation, a fault common to most prior art apparatus of this nature. It is also contemplated in this respect that other and more standard till arrangements could be used with the present chip applying apparatus.

With particular reference to Figure 14, the chip applyinghead 24 consists of an interchangeable top plate I09 that includes raised portions I 92 which are arranged to correspond with any desired arrangement of chip tills, and a supporting and rotating block I94 to which the top plate I99 is removably secured by suitable screws. As in the adhesive applying apparatus a separate top plate I is required for each individual arrangement of colour chips.

The supporting block I04 is constructed so as to provide a cavity I95 including a central bore I06 allowing the head I04 to be slidablyv mounted for rotation about a shaft I59 and a further opening I09 extending from the bore I96 to a projection II9 extending from beneath the head so as to provide a means of connecting a vacuum line 36. The top plate I90 includes openings I9I extending from each of the raised portions I92 to the cavity I95 so that the vacuum pressure may be applied to each raised portion I92 as it comes in contact with the lowermost chip in each of the tills 99. This vacuum contact is sufiicient so that as the block I94 and the top plate I99 is moved away from the chip tills, the chips are snapped out or engagement from the chip till bottom flanges and are held in place on the plate I99.

The diameter of the shaft I59 is reduced centrally so as to provide an annular space I01 between the bore I96 and the center of the shaft I59 to allow for communication from the vacuum line 36 and extends across the frame I9 with the shaft ends passing through the slots 55 of the standards 54. The outer ends of the shaft I59 are each engaged in one end of the sliding crossheads 52 as was previously described so that the reciprocation of the crossheads 52 carries the shaft I59 and the chip applying head 24 up and down between the standards 54.

A cam plate linkage similar to that employed to rotate the adhesive applying head 22 is utilized to rotate the chip applying head 24 about a are as it travels up and down. A pair of cam plates I19 having cam tracks I14 are pivotally mounted on the upper ends of the standards 54 and lever arms I12 are provided at each side of the supporting block I04. The shaft ends slidably engage in the cam track I14 so that the chip applying head 24 is rotated from engagement with the chip tills 99 to parallel alignment with the carrier so as to place the chips in register with the previously deposited dabs of adhesive.

Actuatz'ng and vacuum mechanism The crossheads 52 are reciprocated at each side of the frame I9 by means of the offset crank 'arms Edwhich in turn are driven by a pair of crank wheels E28.

The crank arms 6d are pivotally connected to a pair of sliding guide bars 6! which each have one end rigidly connected centrally to a crosshead 52 with the lower end slidably engaged in a socket E22. This arrangement allows the guide bars El to move up and down in vertical alignment as the crossheads 52 are reciprocated.

The crankwheels lZii are mounted for rotation at each side of the frame in on a shaft i2 3 extending across the frame, the shaft in being driven through a system of pulleys and belts from a motor 428.

The stop fingers 30 are slidably mounted for longitudinal adjustment on bars 29 that are supported beneath the frame it on pins 138. Springs I32 are mounted on each of the pins I38 between the bare it and the frame so that the stop fingers to are normally resiliently maintained below the surface of the base plates -27.

A cam engaging member I34 is secured between the bars 29 and a cam 536 rotatably mounted on a shaft E38 journalled in the frame it is adapted to intermittently contact the member its so as to raise the stop fingers (it into their effective position. The cam 536 is driven by means of a v-belt 539 from the shaft 524 and is also adapted to actuate a resiliently biased trip lever Mil supported from a bracket M2 eX- tending from the frame is so as to open and close the valves Hill, [d3 controlling the vacuum lines 34, 38 which lead to the base plates 25-27 and chip applying head Eli respectively. A main vacuum line 39 leading to the vacuum lines 34, 36, is connected to a vacuum pump M5 which is driven directly by means of a V-belt M2 from the motor 28.

The crankwheels E20, and cam its are driven in time related sequence so that as the sample cards are moved forward, the fingers 3b are raised, and the valve its controlling the vacuum line 3 is opened so as to draw the sample cards firmly against the base plates 26-47. At the same time, the control valve i ls of the vacuum line 3% is opened so that suction is applied through the chip applying head top plate its so as to withdraw the lowermost chip from the tills st and retain the chips on the raised head portions it? as the chip applying head descends.

On the completion of the downward stroke the cam ESE has rotated sufficiently to actuate the trip lever MS so as to first shut off the valve Mt controlling the vacuum line 36 releasing the chips from the chip applying head, and then the valve i ii of the vacuum line 3 5 to release the sample cards from the base plates 26-21 As the adhesive and chip applying heads move upwards the further rotation of the cam 53% allows the cam engaging member its to descend and thus the stop fingers go below the surface of the base plates 2G, 27 and allow the carrier tapes I 2 to carry the completed card out of the machine and advance partially completed and new cards into their respective chip receiving positions.

The appearance of a sample card as it passes between the various stations is shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6, Figure 5 showing a sample card A after it has received spaced apart dabs of adhesive B and Figure 6 showing the card A after it has received the colour chips C. The

completed sample card is shown in cross section in Figure 7.

As will be understood by the preceding description and accompanying drawings, a colour card machine constructed in accordance with the invention can be easily and quickly set up to apply any desired pattern or arrangement of colour chips as may be required to suit any type of colour card. Automatic sample card feeding means can be combined with the present apparatus and thus the entire chip applying procedure can be reduced to a simple and continuous process requiring the minimum of supervision from an operator.

We claim:

1. In a machine for applying colour chips to cards, the combination with means to support a sample card, of means for applying colour chips thereto, comprising, a container for adhesive, a reciprocating member adapted to convey adhesive from said container to said card, a holder having a plurality of spaced apart tills each adapted to hold a stack of chips, and a reciprocating member adapted to remove the lowermost chip from each till and apply it to said card in register with said adhesive.

A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein there means for conveying a sample card between said adhesive applying and said chip applying reciprocating members.

3. In a pasting machine the combination of a movable carrier for supporting and conveying a sample card, a container for adhesive positioned above said movable carrier, a first reciprocating means mounted between said movable carrier and said adhesive container adapted to convey spaced apart quantities of adhesive to the upper surface of a card supported on said carrier, a frame supporting a plurality of tills positioned above said carrier, each of said tills being adapted to contain a stack of thin strips of material, a second reciprocating means mounted between said frame and said carrier adapted to convey the lowermost strip in each till to the surface of said card in register with said previously deposited adhesive.

4. A machine for applying colour chips to cards comprising, a frame, a movable carrier mounted on said frame adapted to support and convey a sample card the length of said frame, a container for fluid adhesive mounted on said frame above the travel of said carrier, an adhesive applying head mounted for reciprocal movement between said adhesive container and said carrier and being adapted to convey spaced apart dabs of adhesive to the upper surface of a card supported by said carrier, 9, frame supporting a plurality of chip tills mounted on said frame above said carrier, each of said tills'being adapted to contain a stack of chips, a chip applying head mounted for reciprocal movement between said frame and said carrier, said chip conveying head being adapted to remove the lowermost chip from each of said tills and apply said chips in register with the adhesively coated portions of said card.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, including means whereby the adhesive applying head and chip applying head are rotated about a 186 are on each reciprocation.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 4, including means whereby said chip tills are adapted to be adjusted transversely and laterally in said supporting frame.

-7'. A machine as claimed in claim 4, including vacuum means connected to said chip applying head adapted to withdraw the lowermost chip from each ofsaid tills on engagement by said head.

8. A machine adapted to apply colour chips to sample cards comprising, a frame, conveyor means mounted on said frame adapted to convey sample cards along said frame, sample card stopping means and holding means mounted on said frame adapted to act in combination with said conveyor means, a first and second pair of slotted standards mounted in spaced apart relationship on and extending above said frame, a container for adhesive mounted adjacent the upper ends of said first slotted standards so as to extend across said frame above the travel of said conveyor means, a chip till mounted adjacent the upper end of said pair of second slotted standards so as to extend across said frame above the travel of said conveyor means, an adhesive applying reciprocating head mounted for slidable movement between said first pair of slotted standards, a chip applying head mounted for slidable movement between said second pair of slotted standards, said chip applying head including vacuum means adapted to remove the lowermost chips from said chip till upon engagement by said head, means to reciprocate said adhesive applying and chip applying heads, and means to rotate said adhesive applying head and chip applying head as they are reciprocated.

9. A machine adapted to apply colour chips to sample cards comprising, a frame, conveyor means mounted on said frame adapted to convey sample cards along said frame, sample card stopping means and holding means mounted on said frame adapted to act in'combination with said conveyor means, a first and second pair of slotted standards mounted in spaced apart relationship on and extending above said frame, a container for adhesive mounted adjacent the upper ends of said first slotted standards so as to extend across said frame above the travel of said conveyor means, a substantially rectangular frame adjustably mounted adjacent the upper end of said second pair of slotted standards so as to extend across said frame above the travel of said conveyor means, said frame supporting a plurality of spaced apart open-ended chip receptacles, an adhesive applying reciprocating head mounted for slidable movement between said first pair of slotted standards, a chip applytween said second pair of slotted standards,

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adhesive container includes a removable bottom plate having a plurality of regularly spaced apart openings, said individual chip receptacles being arranged within said supporting frame so as to have the lower ends disposed in spaced apart relationship corresponding tosaid adhesive container openings, said adhesive applying head and chip applying head each including removable top plates, each of said top plates bearing a pattern of raised portions corresponding in arrangement to said adhesive container openings and chip till arrangement.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the chip adhesive applying and chip applying heads are each mounted for rotary movement about one of a pair of shafts extending across said frame, the outer ends of said shafts extending beyond said heads and being slidably engaged in said slotted standards.

12. A machine, as claimed in claim 11 including a pivotally mounted cam plate positioned adjacent each side of said heads, said cam plates including an internal cam track in which the shaft ends extending from said heads are slidably engaged, lever arms extending from each side of each of said heads, said lever arms being pivotally connected to said cam plates whereby said head supporting shafts are reciprocated, said heads are actuated into rotative movement by means of said cam plates and lever arms. 1

JAMES A. McKAY. ROBERT J. WORSLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

